Sonning Innings

for ( Overs)

Batsmen		Runs	Balls	4s	6s	SR
Kevan Smith	Out	33
Fred Travers	Out	44
Naqash Tahir	Out	0
Ted Baker	Out	0
George Troughton	Not Out	78
Terry Wolfendale	Out	13
Paul Shumake	Not Out	19
Jack Hudson	DNB
Nigel Jackson	DNB
Waqas Tahir	DNB
Steve Hill	DNB
Extras

Bowling	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets	Economy
Kevan Smith	8.0	0	37	1	4.63
George Troughton	11.0	1	45	0	4.09
Nigel Jackson	15.0	3	64	2	4.27
Waqas Tahir	11.0	0	51	1	4.64
Extras

Fielder	Catches	Run Outs	Stumpings
Kevan Smith	1	0	0
Fred Travers	1	0	0
Naqash Tahir	0	1	0

Match Report

Under overcast conditions, a damp wicket and with rain threatening, Sonning, captained by Freddie Travers [Freddie], won the toss and invited SE Reading to bat.

New ball duties where shared by Nigel Jackson [Jacko] and George Troughton [Trout] who both bowled tidily. However, the initial breakthrough was made by what turned out to be the champagne moment of the game! Naqash Tahir [Naqs] not renowned for his fielding prowess was positively gazelle like as he chased after the ball, then with “Jonty Rhodes� technique and skill, swooped, turned on a sixpence and threw a direct hit from 40 yards, leaving not only the batsman but the entire Sonning team speechless!

Jacko and Trout continued to plug away with Jacko making the next breakthrough, deceiving Zahir Ali with a slower delivery (?!) who obligingly scooped the ball to Freddie who took a clean catch at mid-on. 33 for 2 quickly became 52 for 3 when Jacko blasted out the off-peg of Quillam Abbas. Whether related, but a compact partnership of 50 by G & A Hussain then followed which was eventually broken when Waqas Tahir [Waqs] was awarded an lbw shout with the score on 105. Meanwhile, wily Kevan Smith [Beefcake] had been introduced to the attack and in his second over bowled a deceptively short, long-hop delivery, which was crunched with great relish by the batsman but unfortunately for him, straight to Terry Wolfendale [Terry]. Terry then went into a rather extensive juggling act but eventually managed to clutch the ball safely above terra firma. The SE Reading innings was now delicately poised, with just 12 overs remaining and 110 on the board. However some serious boshing by Tariq lifted their total to a challenging 201 with no further wickets falling.

Freddie and Beefcake led the reply, Beefy his usual watchful self to start with while at the other end Freddie launched the innings with two rasping off drives for 4 then a straight 6 off I Ali whose opening figures were reduced to 5 overs 0 for 29 after which he returned later in the innings conceding a further 18 runs in two overs. After his initial rreconnaissance Beefcake upped the tempo before falling for 33 with the score at 74 in 17 overs. His innings spanned 53 deliveries and included 6 boundaries. Two quick dismissals followed, Naqs and Ted Baker [Ted] falling cheaply, the latter being somewhat unfortunate to be given out lbw. Freddie soon followed having made 44 an innings which included a 6 and 6 fours, leaving the Sonning reply precariously balanced at 81 for 4. All four wickets had fallen to the left arm spin of G Hussain. Terry joined Trout who had already taken a liking to Mr Hussain’s flighted deliveries depositing him for a 6 and 2 fours. Grasping the situation, Terry dug himself in playing a supporting role to Trout who continued to make hay, racing to 32 no in 25 deliveries at which point Terry was unfortunately run out for 13 with the score at 145. Paul Shumake [Shuey], making a rare appearance for the club, was in no mood to sell his wicket cheaply and also played an immaculate support role to Trout, though not to be outdone he dispatched the aforementioned opening bowler of what turned out to be his last delivery for a 6!

The last 60 runs were scored off just 8 overs with Trout finishing on 78 no [56 in boundaries] and Shuey 18 no. In the gloom of the evening Sonning won by 5 wickets with 6 overs to spare.